Following a tumultuous 2011, Netflix has regained its lost subscribers, and is on track for a positive 2012. Ian Sherr for The Wall Street Journal:

Netflix Inc. regained subscriber growth in the fourth quarter after losing ground in the third period, ending the year with 24.4 million members, up 610,000 from the third quarter.

That result helped push Netflix shares up 9% to $104 in after-hours trading. Investors were waiting to see if the video rental provider could battle back after alienating some members with a price increase.

Despite a 13 percent decline in profits, Netflix is clearly beginning to regain its strength in the market. Overcoming the 2011 PR nightmare is no small task, but Netflix is clearly willing to do all it can. Removing Leslie Kilgore, former Netflix CMO, was certainly a step in the right direction. So too is the adoption and apparent recognition of original content and the long-term significance therein.

As I've argued countlesstimes, Netflix is in a unique position, and barring any further executive mishaps, the media distribution giant will inevitably regain its momentum in the market.

Having repeatedly displayed a humble desire to modernize, to abide by market trends, and to become a ubiquitously accessible source for media, it remains difficult to see Netflix dying the death so many expected this past year any time soon.